Chicken-counting device



Sept. 20, 1927.

W; E. FISSEL CHICKEN COUNTING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1925 \A/jlliqm E- Pi s-EL INVENTDR ATTEI RNEY Patented SephZQ, 1927.

wILLI'AM'ni-riss nr, a:tam-edema,.i iiimiivmm. 1

- I o 'onrc'xniv-ooinii iiid Appn ti'ofi filed June 17, i955; eria1 its. 157725.

4 This invention relates to a counting device for fowl. The object of this lnvention is to provide a device which will count and indicate the number of chickens whiclrhave enteredor left the roost. Aparticular object in connection with this device is to provide an arrangement which will scare a second chicken from attempting to pass through the samebefore the first has coinplete'd the manipulation necessary for operating the counter. In this way two chickens will not pass through the device and bereg istered' o'nly'as one. Simplicity and cheapnessofconstructionare' other objects ofthis invention so faras they may be consistent with'durability. Other objects ,will be apparent, and this invention will be fmore" fully understood from the following description, taken in connection "Wlllll the accompanying drawmg which form a part hereof.

The figure in the drawing represents one form of device which forms the subject matter of this invention.

VVit-h reference to the drawing, 1 is a base board to which is fixed two Sideboards 2 and 3. A cross board 4 braces and connects the upper ends of the side boards 2 and 3. A gate 5- is hinged to the side board 3 and arranged to open only. in the direction indicated by the arrow 6. A tilting platform 7 is carried by the cross rod 8, and arranged to normally tend to tip in the direction indicated by the arrow 9, this of course may be arranged through the proper location of the rod 8; the front end 10 of the platform in this case being heavier than the rearend 11. The cross rod 8 in this particular case is carried by the side boards 2 and 3, and should be fixed thereto in any obvious manner which will permit tipping of the platform 7. r I

A connecting rod 15 is provided as shown, the one end thereof being connected tothe platform 7 through the screw eye 12, and the opposite'end to the gate 5 through the screw eye 14. Through these connections it the gate will open in the direction indicated by arrow 6. It is to be observed that to the platform beingheavy'on the end 10, and thereby tending to move in the direction indicatedby arrow 9, the gate 5 s thereby automatically closed and normally held closedy r v Thespace between the edge 17of the gate and the sideboard 2 must be'smaller than that required fora chicken to pass through, and when arranged in this manner achic'ken cannot pass through the device in the direc tion indicated by arrow 18; it is therefore a one-way device in that a chicken can pass through only in the direction indicated by arrow '19. The fact that there isa space be;- tween the edge 17 of the gate and side board 2, serves asv an inducement for a pose.

When a chicken passes through the device in the direction indicated by arrow 19, it

may or'may not step upon the platform 7, that is to'say it may attempt to squeeze through the space between the edge 17 of the gate and the side board 2 and may in some manner avoid stepping upon the platform. The gate will then of course open and let the chicken through, but the'movem'ent of the gate will also tip the platform.

This tipping of the platform will normally 7 scare any other chicken which may attempt to pass through at the same time or at least until the gate has slammed shut. However, normally the chicken will step upon the platform at 27, and it will tip in the direction, indicated by arrow 16 and open the gate, and of. course scare any other chicken which may attempt to pass through at the same time. It is to be observed that the side board 2 what beyond the closed position of the gate, as indicated by the numeral 80. The

object ofthis is to make it more difficult or utterly improbable that a chicken can get back of the gate sufficiently to open the same if it should attempt to pass through the device in the direction indicated by arrow 18, and in this manner register a false count.

\Vhat has here been said with reference to chickens of course also applies to any fowl, such as pigeons, ducks, geese; etc., or to nearly any kind of live stock which would be scared or in some similar manner be affected by the tipping ofthe platform.

The registerin is accomplished through the counting devlce mounted upon the cross extends V somehoard l; which comprises a toothed wheel .21 which is free to turn on the round head screw and arranged to register the hundreds; and a unit wheel which is free to turn on the round head screw 24. The unit wheel 23 is provided with a tooth 28 which is arranged to engage the teeth in the wheel 21, and move the same one notch, indicating one hundred, in each revolution thereof.

It is of course to he understood that this device to he .littcd in the partition or wall of the coop. As an example I have shown a wire screen 29 separating the entrance side of the device from the exit side, and which in elfect is a partition. This device in itself forms a sort of door frame or alley-way.

Haring thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patout is as follows:

1. In a counting device for fowl, the combination with a tiltahle platform, of a fulernm a ranged to carr; said platform in a manner whereby the front end thereof normally tends to fall through the influence of gravitation, a door frame at the rear end of said platfornl, a door in said door frame and arranged to open horizontally only in one direction, which direction is away from said platform and also arranged to only partially close said door frame, and it connecting link arranged to connect said platform to said door in such manner whereby the n0rmal tendency of the front end of said platform to fall, will draw said door to its closed position, and rest with the front end thereof elevated relative to the rear end thereof.

2. In a counting device for fowl, the comhinat-ion with a tiltable platform, of a fulcrum arranged to carry said platform in a manner whereby the front end thereof normally tends to fall through the influence of gravitation, a door frame at the rear end of said platforn'l, a door in said door frame and arranged to open only in one direction, which direction is away from said platform, and a connecting link arranged to connect said platform to said door in such manner whereby opening movement of the door will cause the front end of said platform to rise against its normal tendency to fall.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

VVILLIAL'I E. FISSEL. 

